Drapery hanger for traverse rods



'Oct. 6, 1953 J. v. GRABER ETAL 2,654,114

DRAPERY HANGER FOR TRAVERSE RODS Filed May 12, 1950 Zhwcntor: JOJEP/V V. 6:44:42. JOHN ,vleaae'e v Gttomegs Patented Oct. 6, 1953 DRAPERY HANGER FOR TRAVERSE RODS Joseph V. Graber and John N. Graber, Madison,

Wis., assignors to The Graber Company, Middleton, Wis., a partnership Application May 12, 1950, Serial No.'161,692

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a drapery traverse rod assembly and, more specifically, to a slide for use in such an assembly.

In order to provide smooth, quiet, and positive operation of the carriers or slides which support a drapery for traverse, the present invention contemplates that the slides be spool-shaped with rounded and desirably cylindrical shank portions freely slideable and. oscillatable upon the track provided by the rod, there being heads at each end of the shank portion of identical diameter whereby they not only perform the usual function of confining the shank portion on the track, but further perform the function of transmitting thrust from one slide to the next without occasioning the cramping of any slide respecting its track.

The invention further involves a combined slide and hanger made in one piece of nylon,

and desirably having at least its hanger portion coated with paraffin or the like for self-lubrication. While, generically, it is contemplated that other materials of equivalent or better characteristics might be substituted, nylon is specifically the best known material for the purpose.

It has high abrasion-resistance, form stability, strength, lightness in weight, and a very low noise level when used on steel. It is easily lubricated. with practically any liquid, and an extremely light coating of parafiin will lubricate it indefinitely. It lends itself to molding in one piece of good contour and design, and its natural color is well suited for use without a plating or painting operation of any kind.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a section of a traverse rod as it appears when viewed in rear elevation, several carrier units comprising hangers and slides being shown in operative support of a fragmentary section of drapery.

Fig. 2 is a detail view in front elevation of a fragmentary section of traverse rod, the front wall thereof being broken away to expose a number of slides which are illustrated in abutment and in various angular positions.

Fig. 3 is a detail view taken in section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a fragmentary piece of traverse rod having its top wall broken away to show in plan a plurality of slides mounted thereon.

Fig. 5 is a detail view in vertical transverse section through a traverse rod and an anchored slide fixed thereto.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective of a I6 and hanger carrier comprising a combination slide and hanger unitarily cast.

Fig. 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary detail view in section of the slide of Fig. 6 showing a coating thereon, the use of the coating being optional.

In accordance with conventional practice, the traverse rod I0 desirably comprises a channel with an open slot at I I formed between its downwardly turned upper margin I2 and the upwardly turned lower margin I 3 upon which the slides are reciprocably mounted.

It is well-known that the hangers which support the drapery I5 do not always hang vertically, and for this reason, it is common practice to make the slides separate and to pivot the hangers thereto. 7 It is also a known fact that under certain conditions of operation, the slides are in thrust contact with each other, and the pressure of one upon another may, if unbalanced, cause one or both slides to cramp upon the track provided by the traverse rod.

According to the present. invention, each slide II is unitarily made, desirably being molded in one piece of nylon. Instead of pivoting the hanger respecting the slide, the slide is so made as to pivot in its entirety upon the track. To this end, the slide I6 is desirably spoolshaped comprising a shank I8 with a relatively thick outer button or head I9 and a relatively thinner inner head or button 20, the two heads I9 and 20 each being circular in elevation and of identical diameter as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Thus, when one of the carriers is pulled against another, its inner head 20 and its outer head I9 engage simultaneously and equally so that there is no moment tending to twist or cramp either slide upon the track. The shank portion I8 is nearly as wide as the slot provided at II in the traverse rod Ill, and the two buttons I9 and 20 position the shank I 8 upon the supporting rail I3. Yet, the shank I8, being circular in cross section, will oscillate freely on the rail I3 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. Such oscillation is freely accommodated by the fact that the hangers II are materially narrower than the buttons I9 and 20, so that even when the buttons of adjacent hangers are in contact the hangers can swing freely through a substantial arc. It is also apparent in Fig. 2 that regardless of the angular positions of the units, the peripheries of the circular heads will contact in identically the same manner both on the inside and the outside of the traverse rod. The hangers I 'I are desirably apertured at their lower 3 ends to receive the conventional hooks 22 for the support of the drapery 15.

As already noted, the slide and hanger unit IS, IT is desirably made of nylon. This material is not noisy in operation and slides freely under all conditions, and particularly when lubricated. For lubrication, we may immerse at least the slide portion of the unit with a thin film of parafiln wax as shown at 23 in Fig. 7. Reference has been made to the fact that such a coating will lubricate the slide indefinitely. On the basis of present experience, it is believed that the lubrication will continue effective for the life of the slide.

The relatively thicker button or head is desirably provided with a socket 24 in its rear face, and the shank l8 desirably has a central bore 25 opening from the socket 24 through head 20. While no threads need be provided inthe bore 25, this bore is well adapted to receive a screw 26 which, particularly if it be of the order of a sheet metal screw or self-tapping screw, may readily be forced through the slide and. into thrust engagement with the rear wall of the traveres rod 10, whereby to anchor the slide against reciprocation (see Fig. 5). This provides a convenient means whereby at least one of the slides, usually the outermost slide supporting any drapery, may be fixed as to position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that drapery carriers comprising slide and hanger units made as above described will slide and pivot freely upon conventional traverse rods and, even .in the case of a spliced rod comprising telescopically associated sections, thrust exerted upon one slide by another will necessarily be transmitted longitudinally of the traverse rod and without any tendency to misalign the slides with resultant cramping or binding on the rod.

We claim:

1. A drapery carrier for supporting a drapery from a channeled traverse rod, said carrier comprising integrally a spool-shaped slide having a rounded shank pivotally as well as slidably movable on the rod, inner and outer heads connected to the opposite ends of the shank and having rounded peripheral portions of like .radius,

whereby, in all oscillatory positions of the slide, to engage simultaneously the corresponding heads of a similar slide, at least the outer of said heads having a cavity to receive the head of a screw and surrounded by an annular wall and. said shank having an opening leading through the shank and the inner head from said cavity for receiving the stem of said screw, and a hanger dependent from the outer head, said hanger being of a width materially less than the width of the rounded peripheral portions of the outer head, the saidhanger being integrally connected with the outer head immediately adjacent the shank of said .slide, said well projecting beyond said hanger, the hanger further being provided with a rearward offset spaced below the outer head and having its lower end substantially in the plane of said shank.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said carrier is made of nylon.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the slide portion of said carrier is provided with a paraffin coating.

JOSEPH V. GRABER. JOHN N. GRABER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,916,719 Dover et al. July 14, 1933 2,246,086 Austin June 17, 1941 2,326,828 Camp Aug. 1'7, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,571 Great Britain of 1900 139,068 Austria Oct. 25, 1934 184,956 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1922 421,480 Great Britain Dec. 21, 1934 456,612 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES The Chemistry and Technology of Waxes by Albin H. Warth, published by the Reinhold Publishing Co., 330 W. 42 Street, New York 18, New York, pages 413 and 414. 

